Shanghai (AFP)
"Uzi", one of the best professional players in League of Legends, announced his retirement on Wednesday due to numerous health problems linked to his esports practice.
"I regret to announce to everyone that I am retiring," wrote Uzi, Jian Zihao of his real name, on the Chinese social network Weibo.
Born in 1997 according to Chinese media, Uzi, a member of the Chinese team Royal Never Giver Up (RNG), was considered one of the best players in League of Legends (LoL), the most popular game in esports. .
"Chronic stress, obesity, unbalanced diet, lack of sleep" ... the Chinese enumerates the problems which made him develop type 2 diabetes and pushed him to stop.
He also suffered from the hand, a common injury among high-level gamers.
Uzi, who made his pro debut in 2012, has suffered "injuries accumulated in eight years of intensive training," writes RNG.
He was "not only the heart of RNG, but also an icon in the whole world of esports", continues his team.
Esport, which attracts millions of spectators around the world for video game competitions like League of Legends, Fortnite or Overwatch, is a booming industry.
Eating disorders, deterioration of vision and injuries to the hand and wrist are the main risk of injury to players.
© 2020 AFP